2V* scan on Agfa Duo Scan T1200. 4x5 black-and-white negative on Agfa Duo Scan T1200.

Scanner test chart created in our lab. Nikon LS2000 scan screen showing gamma control.

Making a Good ScanJack and Sue Drafahl

THE MOST POPULAR bridge betweentraditional photography and the digitalworld is the scanner. A few years agothese electronic marvels cost more thanmost pocketbooks could bear. Even if youcould afford one, they were difficult touse and obtaining a good scan was reallytough. Today, technological advancementhas brought the cost down so low thateven beginning amateur photographersare jumping into the ring. And the soft-ware running scanners has become so ef-ficient and easy to use, that it is no longerdifficult to make good scans.

Unfortunately, there are many aspectsof scanning the software and hardwaremanufacturers don't always tell youabout. Over the years we have collected a

notebook full of scanning problems andsolutions that come from our experi-ences, the experiences of other digitalphotographers, reference material andinformation collected from the Internet.No, we don't have all the answers, but itis our hope that new scanner owner canavoid some of the headaches we haveencountered by using some of this infor-mation.

Match the Scanner to YourPhotographic Needs

We are assuming that if you are readingthis article, you have already purchased ascanner. If not, make sure you do yourresearch. Try to determine the most impor-

tant use of the scanner. Will you be scan-ning 35mm, 2X, 4x5s, or flat art? We havefound that if you plan to scan 35mmimages, you will need a dedicated film scan-ner such as the Nikon LS-2000. Flatbedscanners do a great job with the larger for-mats, but usually cannot match the qualityof a 35mm film scanner. If you will be scan-ning both small and large formats, thentwo scanners are the best solution.

If you plan on using a flatbed scannerfor scanning medium and large formatimages, look into scanners that haveimage trays specifically designed to holdthe different image formats. In our digitallab we use a Nikon LS-2000 for 35mm,and an Agfa 1200 DuoScan for the largerformats and for flat artwork.

RANCEFINDER • JULY 1999

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ff/m comers for 77200 for Agfa Duo Scan 77200 35mm, 2V. and 4x5; plus thescanner accommodates full-size flat artwork.

Screen shot of color scan of black-and-white image. Sometimes you get bettertonal values from black-and white scans by making a color scan of the original.(Image of/osef Karsh taken by lack Drafahl at Brooks Institute of Photography,Santa Barbara, California.)

Screen shot—35mm color negative scan using auto feature to show that notevery image will scan using autoscan. Some nature images and compositionswith all one color need to be scanned with all auto controls off.

Exposure adjustment tool in Agfa Duo Scan 77200 software.

Before You Make That Scan

The computer monitor is your visualconnection with the scanning process. Ifit is not correctly matched to your scan-ner and output devices, the results will beinconsistent. Until recently, setting up amonitor was a hit-or-miss proposition.Most software packages had a simple pro-gram for balancing the gamma, but thatwas about as far as it went. Today, thereare some very sophisticated color man-agement programs available to help youbalance your entire system. If you planon going this route, give yourself plentyof time to read the information and helpfiles on using the system, as color man-agement is very complex.

On the simpler side, you can upgradeto Adobe PhotoShop 5.0 and use theirGamma Loader/Monitor setup programto get you system in line. This program

adjusts the brightness, gamma, and colorbalance using software controls.

Once you have your monitor balanced,make sure no one touches the monitorcontrols. Someone playing computergames adjusting the monitor to see bet-ter, for example, can wreak havoc withyour scanning process. Watch excessivewindow light, avoid any color in the sur-rounding area, make sure you let yourmonitor warm up before using it and usethe same low-light conditions every timeyou edit. Set a color chart or MacBethcolor chart, near your editing area to giveyou a neutral reference point.

Traditional Clean Lab Rules Still Apply

Dirt and dust scanned with your imagescreates excess work in the editing process.It is a lot easier to dean the images beforethey're scanned. We use both a negative

brush and compressed air to clean eachimage. We use the brush first to knock thedust loose and then blow it off with com-pressed air. Particles embedded in theemulsion should be left alone and editedonce the image is scanned. Don't forgetthat cleanliness starts at home, so be surethat the scanners themselves stay clean.Cover them when they are not in use, anddean them often.

Become an Expert withYour Scanning Software

After you install your scanner and relatedsoftware, read over the extensive instructionsclosely. Don't skip this step, read it all! It willpay off in the long run. Push all the softwareand scanner buttons to see what they do. Themore comfortable you are with your system, thequicker you will be able to perform the edits.

Many flatbed scanners include a color

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chart for you to scan in and use as a testimage. If one is not included, you can shootyour own image. We like to use a personholding the MacBeth color chart as our testimage. If you have been using a smallwhite-and-black card to the side of your stu-dio shoots, continue doing so. The card canbe cropped out after the scan is made.

Run your test image through the entireprocess—scan it in, preview it, and outputit to your printing device. Sometimes theresults from your output device don'tmatch what you saw on your monitor andwill require a little adjustment. Eventually,all three devices in this scanning processshould match.

Experiment and try a variety of images atdifferent resolutions until you have a goodhandle on how the system works. Workwith the black and the white point of animage using the manual and auto func-tion. Get very comfortable with the Undofunction as this will be your best friend.The more you leam by experimenting witha few test images will quickly pay off inspeed and quality down the line.

Match the Scanning Resolution to theFinal Product

We often hear of photographers scan-ning in all their work at the highest resolu-tion. Then they turn around and complainhow slow the digital process is comparedto the old silver process. We once had aclient ask us to scan in a portrait of a com-pany executive at the highest resolutionpossible. The resulting file would havebeen over 80 megabytes. When we askedhim what he was going to do with the digi-tal file, he informed us it was going to beused in a company newsletter. As it turnedout, the required file was only 500k in size.

Unfortunately, there is no universalchart showing the scan resolution neces-sary for all applications. Best bet is tolook at recommended scan levels fromother photographers, magazine articles,reference material and make then upyour own chart.

Most offset printers will tell you to setthe image size to the actual size you wantprinted and then double the dpi used bythe printer's line screen. For example, ifyou are scanning an image for a journalthat will be printed 4x6 inches with aline screen of 133, set the scanner imageto 4x6 inches and scan at 266 to 300 dpi(at least double the line screen).

Another method we use for scanningimages to inkjet and film recordersrelates to file size. Since file size is onlyone number, we find it faster and easierto set up images for a scan. All the scan-ners we have seen and worked with havedpi, page size, and file size as part of thepre-scan information.

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File Scan SizesWe use the following file scan sizes for images in our digital lab.

InkJetMural = 128MB+20 x 24 = 80MB16 x 20 = 36MB11x14= 18MB8x10 = 8MB5x7 = 5MBSmaller = 2MB

Film RecorderInternet = 1MBPresentations = 8MBStock Images = 18MBColor negative = 36MB4 x 5 film = 36MB to 128M(application based)8 x 10 film = 36MB to 128MB(application based)

Magazine SubmissionsLess than full page = 8MBFull page = 18MBCovers = 36MB

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Scanner Adjustments During Scan

When you look at the scanning con-trols, you will see an overwhelming num-ber of functions. We have found that ifyou work with brightness, contrast andgamma controls until the preview is veryclose to what you want, stop there and dono more. The controls in your editingprogram are generally better than thescanner's, so leave the fine-tuning to theediting process.

The scanning process generally needs atleast one sharpening pass before you savethe file. You have the choice of doing itduring the scan or during the editingprocess. We highly recommend doing itduring the editing process because it gen-erally does a better job, and you canexperiment with different levels of sharp-ness. If you don't like it, just undo it andnot have to re-scan it.

The one control we do recommend per-forming during the scanning process isde-screening. If you are scanning offsetprinting you will pick up a moire pattern.

De-screening is a special command inthe program that reduces this effect auto-matically without requiring experimenta-tion. The only thing you have to know isthe approximate line screen of the copy.Most high quality magazines can be de-screened at 133 dpi.

Editing Your Scan

You should never assume that yourimage will scan in perfectly. That's whyyou have an editing program! PhotoShop5.0 is the main program that we use as ithas excellent editing tools. Learn how touse the gamma, white point, black point,histogram, un-sharp filter, and the clonetools. Use the zoom tool to enlarge theentire image to a point where you can seethe grain. Move through the image byscanning left to right and up and down,until you locate and remove all artifactsleft in during the scanning process. Finally,compare the final image to the image youscanned in. If it doesn't match your expec-tations, you can either tweak it somemore, or start over with a whole new scan.Scanning is like everything else in life,practice makes perfect. The advantage toscanning and editing is that you have theluxury of the undo function!

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lack and Sue Drafahl are freelance journalists/photo-graphers living in the Pacific Northwest. They haveowned and operated a custom lab and servicebureau, Image Concepts, for many years. They canbe reached at: [concepts@pacifier.com].

RANCEFINDER • JULY 1999